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Here Again.

  


 

 

I stood there, the angry red and fading green leaves shielding my eyes from the merciless sun. There was a welcome chill in the air, the harbinger of the coming winter, bidding goodbye to vivid autumn. The concrete path through the woods seemed out of place, almost as if it were placed there just for me. I walked on, deeper into the woods while the tall trees stood by like disciplined guards. The dying leaves crunched under my heavy brown boots.

I knew why I was there, and it would surprise many to hear that my stroll into the woods wasn’t for a relaxing day, but to attend my rendezvous with Thanatos. Yes, you heard me right. The very angel of death had called on me. I knew I was to die in exactly 25 hours and 38 minutes. That was the deal I had made with him. A deal I do not regret, not for a second. But as the breeze ushered the voices of the forgotten past into my ear, I wondered what Thanatos desired of me now.

I reached the end of the paved path; beyond this was only pestilence and decay.

“Well, I’m here!”, I said in a sort of choked scream.

“So I can see.”, said a voice that seemed to be coming from inside my head. I looked around, only to find Thanatos leaning against an enormous oak, reddened by age. He wore his usual beige trench coat over a white shirt and sporting a blue tie. What? Did you expect some dude in a black hood? That’s Death. Thanatos was only the messenger, and this man had style.

“I still cannot wrap my head around why you did it? Giving up everything for one day with her? Mike, you had a great life! I didn’t think I’d have to take you this soon.” As Thanatos spoke, his lips seemed not to move, but I heard every word.

“I don’t expect you to understand. You wouldn’t know what it’s like to lose something that precious.”, my voice quivered.

“True. Well, anyway, on to why I’m here. See, Mike, I like you. I want to see you grow old before I finally rip your soul out of that temporal meat suit you wear around. So, I’m going to do something I know I shouldn’t.” He held up a small vial, with a bluish liquid inside. It seemed to emanate warmth. “This will shatter your deal. Poof! Just like that. You can have your soul back and live to a ripe old age.” He paused and sighed heavily. “Or, you can have your 24 hours with precious Luna, and then I come and take you away.”

I didn’t even have to think. “I’ll take my day with Luna”, and walked back to my house.

I heard her before I saw her, and I knew I had gotten my 24 hours. I walked in, where I found my dog, my beautiful joyous dog waiting for me.

“Hey there Luna.”

I felt the softness of her fur once more, the taps of her little feet on my floor, the little tilt of her head when I called her name, the tremendous wagging of her tail at the mention of a walk. Every little detail. Every little thing that made her mine.

The hours flew by.

“How about one last walk?”, I asked Luna. Her ears perked up as she stood at attention, her eyes on my door. I smiled softly to myself. She always did love her walks.

So we set off, walking down our street at 5 a.m. I broke into a brisk jog, and Luna followed suit. I felt the cold air pierce my skin, but I had never felt so alive. With Luna there beside me, I knew there was no better way to go.

 Luna let out a throaty bark, as her heavy paws flew across the black asphalt.

“I missed you too, sweetheart,” I said to her, as we ran past the veil, never to return.

 

- Surjo Siddhanta Ray.

 

 

 

 


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